Cellular carton for eggs and the like



' April 5, 1938 1,5101% 2,113,051

CELLULAR CARTON FOR EGGS AND THE LIKE Filed NOV. 18, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l' April 5, 1938. w JONES I 2,113,051

CELLULAR CARTON FOR EGGS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1936' sSheets-Sheet 2 April 5, 1938. w JONES 2,113,051

CELLULAR CARTON FOR EGGS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 18, 1936 v sSheets-Sheet s Patented Apr. 5, 1938 UNITED STATES CELLULAR CARTON FOREGGS 'rnn W. Bartlett Jones, Chicago, Ill., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Consolidated Carton Inc.,

Chicago, 111., a corporation oi. Illinois Application November 18, 1936,Serial No. 111,406 r 14 Claims. (01. 229-29) The present inventionrelates to'egg cartons and to a particular construction therein for theend, or for the interior of divisible cartons where ends of two sectionsare formed upon division.

In the common 2 x 6 cell-sizedegg cartons there is at the end, or at thedivided end of sections, .a transverse wall, which extends between thefront and back carton sides to which the said wall is secured and bywhich it is carried. This wall supports-the two end eggs, and without amiddle support, the wall is subject to excessive pressure from the endeggs, which pressure tends to bow the wall outwardly. This efiect iscommonly prevented by an outside support carried II on some longitudinalpartition dividing the cells into two rows. These partitions have aprojecting finger lying outside of the wall to support such wallcentrally.

The structure above described necessitates us- 0 ing part of the lengthof the carton to provide enough space for an efliciently wide supportingfinger. Many cartons are commonly non-divisible 2 x 6 cartons andstandards of length have become established. There is a growing demandthat such 2 x 6 cartons be capable of division into two 2 x 3 sections.Such sections also-require support for any transverse wall at thesevered end, and this has been provided by the customary finger on thelongitudinal partition. To accomplishthis, a portion of the normalcarton length must be taken from the normal egg space, or else the boxmust be made longer to provide room for the. two added fingers. Ifthisis not done the length available for eggs is lessened, and the carton isuseful only for the smaller-sized eggs.

These divisible egg cartons must provide separate longitudinalpartitions, or but one, which is easily divisible into two longitudinalpartitions.

If the latter construction is used some force is 'exerted upon thesingle partition at the line of division when the carton is broken, andthere is always the possibility that this force will break or weaken thetwo wall-supporting fingers. "Some attempt has been made to provide twooverlapping longi udinal partitions, one for each divided section, b' tin such case each partition projects from the divided endof thesection,-where itis exposed to danger of breaking off thewall-supporting Dost.

The present invention aims to overcome these disadvantages and toprovide an end-lock for'a carton end, or the divided end of a section,which will permit more eflicient use of the length of the 55 carton, andwhich will permit dispensing with a with a cushion structure or actionto cushion the egg at the end of each row.

A particular object of the invention is to tie the end lock for each rowback into the carton or section behind the egg which it cushions.

A further object of the invention is to provide carton or section, eachend-lock being suspended to form a loop about an see. which loop is tiedat oneend to a side of the carton or section, and

at the other end to some interior part of the carton or section.

Various other and ancillary objects and advantages of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and explanation of a cartonwhich is shown as being of the divisible type, in which one of thesections is provided with the new structure of the present invention. Itis to be understood that both ends of the 2 x 6 carton and the dividedends of the sections may be constructed accordingly, but presentcommercial forms and requirements may be satisfactorily met by usingonly one of the new structures'at one of the divided ends. Such anexemplary embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a blank for forming a divisible carton with structureto forin egg cells.

Fig. 2 is a separate and divisible longitudinal partition dividing thecg! cells into rows.

Fig. 3 is an end view gi the far end'of the carton section shown in Fig.5.

Fig. 4' is a cross-section of the carton section of Fig. 3, taken on theline 44 thereof.

Fig, 5 is 'a perspective view of a portion of a carton section embodyingthe present invention looking down toward the corner of the loop withits parts in position for holding an egg, the egg being absent. I

Fig. 6 is a fragment ofa blank like that of Fig.1 with a modified formof the inventicn.

Fig. 'l is a perspective view of a portion of a divided section havingthe modified structure of F18. 6.

Fig. 8 is'a cross-section of the carton of Fig. 7 taken on line 8-8thereof.

The carton of the drawings is specially designed to' facilitate thesetting-up operation, wherein one divisible separate longitudinalpartiduplicate end-locks for each row of a two-row tion is used as willbe later explained. The box is divides the carton into front and rearcompart provided with but one of the new structures. This is located onone side of the division line. A similar one is not made at the otherside of the division line, for to do so would be to interand'relation ofthe parts of the carton proper are old and are only briefly described inorder to apply reference numerals thereto. Areas may.

be panels or walls and are represented by even numbers. Folding linesare represented by odd numbers. The areas are referred to as: lookingflap |0,'eover I2, rear longitudinal side wall l4, bottom i6, frontlongitudinal side wall I8, crosswall-forming panel 20, attaching strip22 which forms eventually a part rigid with rear side wall I4 andfalse-bottom suspension 26 which is eventually a part of the 'front walll8. Intermediate these areas there are folding lines designated by oddnumbers from II to 25 inclusive. The direction of fold appears clearlyby reference to the various end views of carton or section.Supplementary parts and structure are also described.

The panel designated 20 is cut and scored to provide three down-foldableflaps in one section numbered 30, 3i and 32, and four down-foldableflaps in the other section numbered 33, 34, 35 and front, which tabsremain in the original area of the panel 20. Each flap when folded downforms a transverse vertical cross-wall extending between front and rearsidewalls, and all seven of them define six spaces, suitable for eggs.Each fiap is recessed at 33 to interlock with a longitudinal partition,such as shown in .Fig. 2, which ments.

' The partition of'Fig. 2 is generally of a common structure found inthe prior art, and has two parts 40 and '4l connected by a perforated orweakened line of connection 42. It has recesses 43 to interlock withrecesses 39 in the transverse walls 36 to 36. It also has flat recessedportions 44 from the bottom to overlie egg-rack 24, and hookedprojections 45 to pass through holes 46 in the egg rack 24. The line ofdivision 42 passes from top to 'bottom between fiat edge 44 and the topof the partition and just slightly to one side of a recess 42 for thecross-wall 33. This forms a narrow supporting finger 41 for saidcross-wall 43. There are similar fingers 48 and 49 at the ends of thelongitudinal partition.

The carton is suitably weakened as by a perforated line 56 shown in Fig.1, so that the carton when full of eggs, and locked by engagement ofhooks 5-! with tabs 36, may be divided into two complete sections. Thisdivision line 60 is located to overlie division line 42 in thelongitudinal partition and to fall in the blank so that in dividing thecarton, itleaves the transverse wall 33 at the end of one section and nocorresponding crosswall at the divided end of the opposite section. Thecomplete sectionhas fingers 41 and 46 at the ends, each of which takesaway a portion of the length of the carton. The other section has finger49 at one end, and no wall and no finger at the divided end The presentinvention concerns structure to form an egg barrier for this open end,without taking away some of the length of the carton to do so, orwithout, de-

pendence upon a finger at the end of the longitudinal partition.

The form of .the invention provided by the blank of Fig; 1 will bebetter understood by reference to Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The recess 39 ofcross-wall 32 is continuous as recess 53 in the blank to the divisionline 50 to provide a receiving area for the longitudinal partition. Aright angular loop of material is left in the blank at each row. Thisloop has one leg 54 lying along 'of cross-wall flap 32, and is joined atthe vertex 56 of the right angle with the other leg 51. The

leg 51 of the loop is adjacent the division line 50, and is connected tothe attaching strip 22 on folding line 58 which is a fractional part ofthe major folding line designated 2|. Leg 51 carries on its sideopposite division line 50 a wing 59 hinging on folding line 60. The winglies between attaching strip 22 'and leg 54 from which it is divided byout line 6!. The end of the wing is formed by out line 62 which alsodefines the top edge of cross-wall 32. Cut line 62 extends to meetfolding line 55 for leg 54, so as to for'npa tab 63 on leg 55. Line 6-I-is jagged to form aparallel projection 64 on leg 54, forming also a hook65 on one side of wing 59. A corresponding hook 66 is formed on theother side by cutting recess 61 in the blank. The double hooked end ofwing 59 is so formed that it lies below egg-rack 24 by passing throughan egg hole therein with which it cooperates.

The egg hole referred to is shown in -Fig.- 1 as having two opposingtabs 10 and H meeting on line- 12, and down-foldable to form asubstantially circular egg hole. Tab I0 hinges on folding line I3 setback from the egg hole by short parallel cut lines 14. The hooked end ofthe wing 59 is forced by an egg into the egg hole and lies againstfolding line 13 with a hooking or interlocking relation under the falsebottom. Other egg holes of prior art construction are present in the eggrack.

The action of the structure above described may be appreciated best byactual observation or by study of the illustrations, and less so bydescription; So illustrated, the drawings are described. In Fig. 5 thedivided section.is illustrated without eggs. The rear wing'59 is shownas it appears in the carton on setting up, and the parts are designatedby the same numbers above described, with the addition of the primedesignation. The parts lie fiat in the plane-of panel 20. Either byhand,'or automatically by insert-- ing an egg, the parts assume twistedfolded and warped positions to define an egg cell which also hasresiliency like a cushion. Each of the legs 54 and 51 twist to liealmost vertical at the vertex 56, which is lifted and points upwardly.The projection 64 provides a lever upon which the eggpushes to aid inturning or twisting leg 64. Little projection 63 also turns'downwardly.The Mug 5! looks to the egg rack and provides a longitudinal partition48. However, it is movable to the right, either by pull thereon fromloop legs 54, or by push thereon by eggs. By reason of this freedom, anda like freedom in the crosswall 3|, the presence of large eggs willreadily permit the cell-forming structure to expand toward the divisionline 50, either in a carton, or in a divided section. Also any force .orpressure, as in the act of dividing the carton, will betaken up by theresilience of the structure. The bowing of cross-wall 32 in this actionpulls the longitudinal sides together with a resilient pull, and thewarped or twisted form .of the loop legs, adds further resiliency.Should the leg 54 or the cross-wall 32 become broken, the locking ofwing 59 to the egg-rack will prevent leg 51 opening outwardly to releasethe eggs. Figs. 3 and 4 show the positions of the parts where the bulgeVarious modifications are shown combined in the form of' Fig. 6.. Firstlooking at the form of Fig. 1, any of the legs such as leg 54 may bemade longer than shown by the simple expedient of extending its line ofconnection in the blank, as to cross-wall 32, deeper. The leg 51 may bemade more resilient by giving it a non-continuous structure from end toend.

In Fig. 6 the blank is designated by the same numerals asused in Fig. 1,where the parts are identical.

The modified structure has two legs along side recess 53. Leg 80 is tiedto cross-wall 32 at a line 8| inside the top edge 82 of cross-wall 32.The leg flares to a greater width as it enters the cross-wall to assurestrength in the connection, as provided for by curved out line 83. Theloop has vertex 84 at its junction with division line 50. The remainingleg of the loop extends with continuity of material in a circuitousroute from the vertex 84 to its attachment at on a sidewall of thecarton. The part corresponding to the wing 59 of Fig. 1 here is mergedwith the leg, but it preserves its wing function. Together there arethree parallel strips 86, 81 and 88, and a right angular strip 88 allseparated or defined by cuts numbered 90, ill, 92, and 93, yet allarranged continuously in the order 85, 86, 81, 88, 89, 84, 80 and BI.This series defines the loop. If desired a hooked wing may be providedon the part 88 corresponding to structure for a locking relation to anegg-hole, as in Fig.1.

The parts above described assume the positions shown in Figs. 7 and 8when an egg-is held by them. The vertical portion of this barrier hasadditional resiliency where the bulge of. the egg contacts it, and thisresiliency is in addition to that which it acquires through the pull ofleg 80 oncross-wall 32.

As stated" in the beginning the loop structure is not limited to use inone section, nor to the middle of a divisible carton. A non-divisiblecarton could have similar structure if desired, and a divisible cartoncould provide sections having each end with such loop retainingend-locks or cushions. Only one position is here shown in order toprovide a 2 x 6 carton which can be set up and used as f0llows:- Thecarton blanks shown are folded and glued, to provide a flat form knownto the art, with which the separate divider board of Fig. 2 is supplied.The folded form is opened to rectangular tubular form in which the vpanel 20 contains all its'parts in the planar positions as originallyformed, and as shown in Fig; 1. Imagine that the panel 20 of Fig. 1 is aview of -the top interior of the squared box, the cover l2 divider boardis moved lengthwise of the box to cause projections 45 to slip intoholes 46 and to hook under the egg-rack panel 24. All the cells are thusformed and all are accessible except those where the loop tiesare'located. The structure is such that merely inserting an egg causesthe parts to move to proper place as illustrated. Although the inventionhas been illustrated in the type of egg carton which has a false bottomor egg rack therein,- it is to be observed that it is applicableto othertypes of egg cartons, in-

cluding thosev which have no egg-rack or false bottom, and which inconsequence have deeper or wider cross-walls. The invention isparticularly useful in the egg-rack type for it may provide forconnection of the loop structure to the egg-rack as in Fig. 1.connection to the egg-rack-as shown in Fig. 6, and hence the egg-rack isnot an essential element of the egg carton in-which the invention It maybe used without may be embodied. Various structures and embodimentsthereof are contemplated in the accompanying claims. I i

I claim:

1. A carton for eggs and the like having walls forming a cover, abottom, two longitudinal sides, and a panel intermediate thecover andbottom extending from one longitudinal side wall to the other, saidpanel being cut to,form a flap foldable down into the box to'provide atransverse partition therein extending from side to side, said partitionbeing located'inwardly from at least one end of the carton, and alsobeing cut to provide a looped connection having one end secured to theside of the carton remote from the flap and the other end secured tosaid flap intermediate the ends of said flap, whereby said loop, saidflap, and the side of the carton define a cell therein.

2. A carton for eggs and the like having walls forming a cover, abottom, two longitudinal sides, and a panel intermediate the cover andbottom extending from one longitudinal side wall to the other, saidpanel being cut to form a flap foldable down into the box'to provide atransverse partition therein extending from side to side, said partitionbeing located inwardly from at least one end of the carton, and alsobeing cut to provide a looped. connection having one end secured toother, said panel being out to form a flap foldable down into the box toprovide a transverse partition therein extending from side to side, saidpartition being located inwardly from at least one end of the carton,and also being cut to provide two looped connections, each having oneend secured to different longitudinal sides of the carton, and havingthe'other end secured to one side of the center of said flap, saidlooped connections being separate for the receipt between them of aportion of a longitudinal partition for the car-' ton, whereby saidpartition, and each loop with its connected side of the carton, and saidflap, define a cell on each side of the middle of the carton.

4. A carton for eggs and the like'having walls forming a cover, abottom, two longitudinal sides, and a panel intermediate the cover andbottom extending from one longitudinal side wall to the other, saidpanel being cut to form a flap foldable down into the box to provide: atransverse partition therein extending from side to side, said partitionbeing located inwardly from at least one end of the carton-and alsobeing out to provide two adjacent and separated right-angular-shapedconnections with one leg secured to a side of the carton, and the otherleg secured to said flap intermediate its ends, said carton side, saidconnection and said flap defining a cell in the carton.

5. A carton for eggs and the like having walls forming a cover, abottom, two longitudinal sides, and a panel intermediate the cover andbottom extending from one longitudinal side wall to the other, saidpanel being cut to form a flap foldable down into thebox to provide atransverse partition therein extending from side to side, said partitionbeing located inwardly from at least one end of the carton, and alsobeing cut to provide two adjacent and separated right-angular-shapedconnections with one leg secured to a side of the carton, and the otherleg secured to said flap intermediate its ends, said panel being furtherout to provide one leg of said' connection with a portion foldable downto a position substantially Y to provide two adjacent and separatedright-angular-shaped connections with one leg secured to a side of thecarton, and the other leg secured to said flap intermediate its ends,said leg which is attached to the side wall extending continuously butcircuitously from end to end by irregular formation whereby it isresilient and stretchable, said connection, its carton side and dividethe carton into front and rear compartments, and means cut from saidpanel forming a loop .in each compartment extending from a side of thecarton at a point remote from the flap to said flap at a point remotefrom the side of the carton.

8. A carton for eggs and the like having walls forming a cover, abottom, two longitudinal sides, and a panel intermediate the cover andbottom extending from one longitudinal side wall to the other, saidpanel being cut to form a flap foldable down into the box to provide atransverse partition therein extending from side to side, said partitionbeing'located inwardly from at least one end of the carton, alongitudinal partition to divide the carton into front and rearcompartments, and means out from said panel forming a loop in eachcompartment extending from a side of the carton at a point remote fromthe flap to said flap at a point remote from the side of the .saidpartition being located inwardly from at least one end of the carton,and being further cut to provide a loop of material connected at one endto a carton side remote from the flap and, at the other end to the flapremote from the carton side, and being further out to provide a wingattached to said loop, said wing being movable into positionsubstantially parallel to said flap to close an area beneath said loopand above the egg rack.

10. A carton for eggs and the'like having walls forminga cover, abottom, two longitudinal sides, an egg-rack spaced above the'bottom, anda panel intermediate the cover and egg-rack extending from onelongitudinal side to the other, said panel being cut to form a flapfoldable down into the box to provide a transverse partition therein,said partition being located inwardly from at least one end of thecarton, and being further out to provide a loop of material connected atone end to to a carton side remote from the flap and at the other end tothe flap remote from the carton side, and being further out to provide ahooked wing attached to said loop, said wing being long and movable intoposition to have its hooked portion engage beneath the egg-rack.

11. A transversely divisible carton for eggs and the like having wallsforming a cover, a bottom,'

two longitudinal side walls, and a panel intermediate the cover andbottom and extending from one longitudinal side wall to the other, saidwalls of the carton being weakened along a transverse division line forbreaking the carton into two sections, said panel onone side of thedivision line being cut to provide a flap for folding down to provide atransverse vertical partition from one side wall to the other at alocation remote from the line of division, said panel having its areabetween said flap and said line of division cut to provide twoindependent loops of material, each having one leg connected to asidewall and extending along the line of division to near the transversecenter of the carton and there con-- nected with another leg extendingadjacent the longitudinal center of the carton to the said flap, wherebyupon division of the carton said sectionis two longitudinal side walls,and a panel intermediate the cover and bottom and extending from onelongitudinal side wall to the other, said walls of the carton beingweakened along a transverse division line for breaking the carton intotwo sections, said panel on one side of the division line being cut toprovide a flap for folding down to provide a transverse verticalpartition from one side wall to the other at a location remote from theline of division, said panel having its area between said flap and saidline of division cut. to provide two independent loops of material, eachhaving one leg connected to a side wall and extending along the line ofdivision to near the transverse center of the carton and. thereconnected with another leg extending adjacent the longitudinal center ofthe carton to the said flap, the leg along said line of divisioncarrying material derived from the area of the panel within the loop,said material being movable into position substantially parallel withsaid flap, whereby upon division of the carton said section isprovidedwith two independent end retainers at the severed end of thesection.

13. A transversely divisible carton for eggs and the like having wallsforming a cover, a bottom, two longitudinal side walls, and a panelintermediate the cover and bottom and extending from one longitudinalside wall to the other, said walls of the carton being weakened along atransverse division line for breaking the carton into two sections, saidpanel on one side of the division line being out toprovide a flap forfolding down to prgvide a transverse vertical partition from one sidewall to the other at a location remote from the line of division, saidpanel having its area between said flap and said line of division cut toprovide two independent loops of material,

each having one leg connected to a side wall and extending along theline of division to near the transverse center of the carton and thereconnected with another leg extending adjacent the longitudinal center ofthe carton to the said flap, the leg along said hne of division carryingmaterial derived from the area of the panel within the loop, saidmaterial being movable into position substantially parallel with saidfiap and being adapted to engage with a portion of the carton be-- neathsaid loop, whereby upon division of the carton said section is providedwith two independent end retainers at the severed end of the section. I

14. A transversely divisible carton for eggs and the like having wallsforming a cover, a bottom, two longitudinal side walls, and a panelintermediate the cover and bottom and extending from one longitudinalside wall to the other,'saicl walls of the carton being weakened-along atransverse division line for breaking the carton into two sections, saidpanel on one side of the division line being cut to provide a flap forfolding down to provide a transverse vertical partition from one sidewall to the other at a location remote from the line of division, saidpanel having its area between said flap and said line of division cut toprovide two independent loops'of material, each having one leg connectedto a side wall and extending along the line of division to near thetransverse center of the carton and there connected with another legextending adjacent the longitudinal center of the carton to the saidflap, the leg along said line or division carrying material derived fromthe area of the panel within the loop, said material being movable intoposition substantially parallel with said flap and having a hooked endat its lower portion, and an egg-rack in said carton with which saidhooked end is cooperative to lock the wing thereto in one direction,whereby upon division of the carton said section is provided with twoindependent end retainers at the severed end oi thesection.

W. BAR'ILE'I'I JONES,

